illinihawk16
- Chicago
Wisconsin will be up there, too. They just seem to always be.
Illini Basketball 2022-2023
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The Galloping Ghost
- Washington, DC
I cannot wait to see Ty play for us. I've said this before, and I'll surely say it again, I believe he's going to seriously contribute this season. Despite the talent we've acquired, Ty is going to find a way onto that floor. He's too smart and too multifaceted not to.
Yes, Ayo and Kofi, their junior seasons, were superstars.
TheFameProtector
- Champaign
By this definition, one of the best players in college basketball for the last two seasons and certainly one of the (if not the) most recognizable faces would not qualify as a superstar. Same for Johnny Juzang, who even the most casual fans know, as well as names like Collin Gillespie, Hunter Dickinson (
), EJ Liddell (most likely), heck even Cameron Krutwig, courtesy of us (also...but the dude was 3rd team All-American). Perhaps the "super" has been thrown around too casually, but without getting into a multi-page discussion of what classifies a star vs. a superstar, I'd say it's a bit less cut-and-dry than your definition. Also important to remember that this is in the context of a collegiate team and not the NBA. Few people would have said Ziaire Williams or Josh Primo or Scottie Barnes were college superstars, even though they ended up being lotto picks.Agreed. I think some are quick to push him down the depth chart with the additions of TSJ and Mayer. Those guys are contributors are very good teams but being on a national team is a huggggge deal. Solid chance he supplants CoHawk at the 4 at some point if Coleman can't put it all together finally. He is such a frustrating player because I think everyone can see his potential but he just hasn't been able to capitalize on it.
Hmmm...top ten recruiting class, second only to Texas in transfer portal additions...*just cracked the top 35 in certain rankings for next year.* Makes sense!
writingillini.com
(GIF of Emperor Palpatine saying "Good good...let the hate flow through you." sold separately. GIF of Rees Woodcock posing like Steve Urkel not included bc I have actual respect for Jaleel White.)
Illinois Basketball: Illini barely a top 35 team according to offseason rankings
Illinois basketball is poised to have a great 2022-23 season, but the Illini are barely a top 35 team according to offseason rankings.
writingillini.com
(GIF of Emperor Palpatine saying "Good good...let the hate flow through you." sold separately. GIF of Rees Woodcock posing like Steve Urkel not included bc I have actual respect for Jaleel White.)
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If you listen to TA's podcast with prince, mentions playing some full court style press (Would assume a 1-2-2 given BU's history with it, with TSJ or Coleman as the 1). But for base man-to-man I'd expect to be lots of switching (I.e triple switch that is ran at Baylor, TTU, Nova, Houston) So more of that style of modern defense utilizing our tremendous length to defend the 3 better than a switching defense usually does
Grandison, as a senior, had the advantages of knowing the system and a few years with Fletch. This was enough to put him in front of Goode and RJ. After a year in the system for Goode and RJ, these advantages have been pretty much negated. Now it is more of a matter of their basketball skills. If the skills are close, I'd play the Sophomores, looking to the future.
I'd love to see Grandison come back - the team flowed much better with him on the floor last year. If he comes back, I expect that his play time will start low (play the kids heavily in non-conf, non-major games), peak early in the big10 season, and then drop off again as the season progresses and the kids get more experience. It is a question of whether Grandison wants the role, and whether there is a roster spot for him. If Underwood leaves one ride open for mid-year transfers, then there is only one scholarship to either pick someone up after the NBA draft withdrawal deadline, or Grandison.
DB11Headband
- Chicago Burbs
Staff would agree
Epsilon
M tipping over
- Pdx
This is the new face of college ball. Every off-season is going to be a complete reshuffling of the college ball card deck.
Between 'The Portal' and the 'One-And-Done' guys... most every team is going to have a different look from year to year. Some folks will like that and some will not. But either way, it will make each season more exciting overall. It will also give more hope to teams who have a less-than-satisfying season because they will have a chance to rebuild and fill holes more quickly with The Portal.
This will add to the premium that outstanding coaches and staffs already have. The ability to find and secure those needed team 'pieces' and to blend them all into a symphony of roundball sweet sounds will be heightened each year.
This also means that when you have a special group of talented guys who really jell together... we just really appreciate them for the short time we'll see them.
Pieces will be quickly moving and cards will be re-shuffled.
Just make sure we have a good bunch of guys doing the shuffling and dealing. And who know how to best play whatever hands they dealt.
He and Sencire Harris are the epitome of “dogs. The are both relentless.
Might I remind you to go look up the box score from February 19th. Or, know as what I dubbed it that day:
“Jacob Grandison day”
Noblesville Illini
- Nappanee, IN
In all seriousness, that coaching change losing Beilein and replacing him with who they did started those dominos of sucking again to fall.No matter what their record shows, Michigan always sucks.
Yeah man they went to the elite 8 they trash
This is good to hear because the Illini need rebounders to go along with outside shooters CoHawk and Mayer.
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
The post I responded to was referring to talent, not statistics.
As far as defining “superstar”, I was assuming we were talking about college not NBA.
Ayo and Kofi were both first team AA. That is a college superstar.
Every player I mentioned (IMO) has the talent to be a first team AA by their senior year.
So to say “I don’t see any superstar talent” on this roster needs some clarification.
I have not seen any film of Rodgers and only have information from what I have read on this board. Many who have seen him give him much praise, but the biggest compliment I have seen on his game is that he is smart. Not sure if that alludes to common sense, character, basketball IQ, or academic aptitude, but if he is the athlete he is reported to be, and plays hard and smart, he has the potential to become an Illini legend. I love smart players who always want to know the counter to every move on the court and work hard to acquire the skills and knowledge to do those things BEFORE they face them...and not after they cost the winning bucket.
As GG stated, I also cannot wait to see Ty Rodgers enter his first of over 100 games at UI Assembly Hall and show Illini Nation what it means to be a B1G warrior and play smart.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Yeah, I understand. I just wouldn’t put CoHawk in the same league talent-wise as Kofi and Ayo. From what we saw last year, he still has a ways to go just to be a serviceable starter in the B1G, much less a first team AA.
Those who contribute not named Adam Miller should be welcomed back with open arms.
Now who's with me? AAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!
That is awesome to hear for Roger's. Hoping he makes the team and gets the experience of competing. Will only help the Illini program moving forward.
Much different, and let's be honest very much more realistic, than Rothstein and CBS. Maybe they will catch on that a number 8 recruiting class and transfers in of TSJ and Mayer (proven Power 5 top tier players) are deserving of much better than 5th in the league. Even if they are setting up the narrative for an Underwood coach of the year candidacy their off-season rankings are laughable.
I think Rothstein just got it in his head early on that Illinois was replacing too much and wouldn't be that good, and refused to come off by not paying close enough attention on a macro level. 2nd in the Big Ten is a pretty reasonable pre-season projection with 2 vet transfers that were starters on top teams, with a talented freshmen class and a few solid candidates for breakout seasons.
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